Each week, the editor of Planet Analog finds items of interest and features and puts them into two sections, entitled “Also of Interest” and “Elementals”. Each cites items from publications outside the Planet Analog and EETimes portfolios.

It's an extension of our belief that engineers are interested in on-going tutorial on obviously relevant topics, as well as the serendipity of exploring topics which are not directly related to their jobs, but which will broaden their knowledge and sometimes spurs innovative and creative approaches. The first box highlights a few items of general interest to the engineer, while the second highlights some basic and tutorial electronic-engineering material.

Among the publications we check are IEEE Spectrum , Machine Design , Design News , Laser Focus World , EDN , Electronic Design , NASA Tech Briefs , and Physics Today , among others.

Consider these items as “online-only” extras, and worth a look! (Please note: there are also links to the previous weeks' editions, at the bottom).

Also of Interest:

• Get the most out of these versatile fasteners:
  “The Basics of Self-Clinching Fasteners,”
  Machine Design , July 10, 2008
• Photonics technologies are advancing telescopes both on Earth and in space:
  “New Technologies Power New Technologies Power New Eyes on the Sky,”
  Photonics Spectra , July 2008
• CMOS image-sensor technology has displaced CCD technology in many commercial applications and is now moving to capture high-performance custom markets.:
  “CMOS Detectors: Scientific monolithic CMOS imagers come of age,”
  Laser Focus World , July 2008, Year
• Extracting real quantitative data to anticipate everything from earthquakes to rocket launches:
  “Linear Dynamics for Everyone,”
  Desktop Engineering , June 2008

Elementals:

• A dynamic link integrates the PCB schematic and layout tool with RF design and simulation tools, resulting in a solution that overcomes the shortcomings of the classic RF design:
  “Mixing RF, digital and analog circuits on the same PCB,”
  RF Design , May 2008
• Analyze RF device behavior under mismatched conditions which may occur during the operation of a power amplifier system:
  “A Constant Mismatch Analysis of Power RF Transistors Using EDA Tools,”
  High Frequency Electronics , June 2008
• Most of today's video architectures still use low serialization density and keep the pixel clock in parallel with the data. That's not going to work any more:
  “High-Speed Video Bus Battle in Portable Designs,”
  Portable Design , June 2008
• A systematic approach uses DSO-based TDR and TDT measurements to construct models whose simulated response displays an uncanny resemblance to the response of the real hardware:
  “Measurement-based simulation simplifies analysis of lossy backplanes and cables,”
  EDN , July 10, 2008

Previous Editions:

• August 25, 2008
• August 18, 2008
• August 11, 2008
• August 4, 2008
• July 28, 2008
• July 21, 2008
• July 14, 2008
• July 7, 2008